Parishioner Profile: Ben Beese

By An Duclos

When you first meet Ben Beese, you might think he’s a nice looking young man with a big smile.  You might also think he’s a nerd because he goes to church every Sunday.  You might guess he’s going to be a minister because he’s a good listener, a clear thinker, and he goes to church every Sunday. You might also think he’s shy.

But you’d be wrong and you’d be right.  Ben is a nerd.  He said so himself.  He’s not planning on becoming a minister, though many have asked him. He is shy, but not extremely so. Mostly he prefers to listen.

You might also think Ben set out on a straight and narrow path to get where he is.  But his life is full of accidents which helped him find and redefine his course.

Ben’s religious life began when his family made a drastic move away from conservative and evangelical roots on the east coast.  They sought a more liberal and socially-conscious community in Colorado. An Episcopal parish drew them in with rich liturgy, inspiring music, and a progressive minister.

Ben returned east to attend Middlebury College in 2018.  He looked forward to pursuing his love of learning but figured he’d need to get off campus to stay sane.  Finding a church in town would provide him with a weekly excuse to escape student life.  So he went church-shopping and started at St. Stephen’s.

When Ben’s family worship at church, they sit in the back pew and leave right after the service. But Ben’s first morning at St. Stephen’s did not allow him the chance to quickly depart.  Parishioners immediately sought him out, greeted him, invited him to have coffee, and swept him in with hospitality.  He did not look at any other churches.

An interesting fact about Ben, is that he doesn’t like to say no.  When Joe McVeigh asked him to be an usher, Ben became an usher.  When Diane Nancekivell asked him to join the confirmation class, he joined.  When Jay Parini asked him to give a sermon, he did so.  When Peter Dempewolff asked him to be the Sunday zoom host, or I asked him to lead an Adult Ed session, he agreed.

The direction Ben is heading this fall is due to his inability to say no.  For instance, during Ben’s freshman year, a friend learned she needed to speak German in order to be an art historian. She asked Ben to take German with her.  Ben was already studying Arabic, and had a hefty course load. But he did not want to say no, so he signed up for German.  By his senior year, Ben was surprised he had enough German credits to call it a minor.

Another interesting phenomenon is the helpful role being a nerd has played in Ben’s life. He went to a small high school where he felt comfortable following his own path. He was not into sports, and instead found he liked learning.  At his father’s urgings, Ben joined the Boy Scouts and discovered a real niche with their emphasis on leadership skills. The qualities to being a good leader developed into an appeal for teaching.

Ben’s excitement about learning and accidental progress in German, are giving him rich fodder for his next pursuits.  This fall, Ben will head to Ohio State University on a PhD program in the German Department.  He hopes to teach philosophy and history. 

Many of us share a huge gratitude for all the times Ben has said yes.  We know all his yeses will lead him far and wide.  But hopefully not too far from his home at St. Stephen’s.